2015 KIA Sorento four wheel drive

523
Driving your vehicle
Engine power can be delivered to all
front and rear wheels for maximum
traction. AWD is useful when extra
traction is required on roads, such
as, when driving on slippery, muddy,
wet, or snow-covered roads. These
vehicles are not designed for chal-
lenging off-road use. Occasional off-
road use such as established
unpaved roads and trails are OK. It is
always important when traveling off-
highway that the driver carefully
reduces the speed to a level that
does not exceed the safe operating
speed for those conditions.In general, off-road conditions pro-
vide less traction and braking effec-
tiveness than normal road condi-
tions. The driver must be especially
alert to avoid driving on slopes which
tilt the vehicle to either side.
These factors must be carefully con-
sidered when driving off-road.
Keeping the vehicle in contact with
the driving surface and under control
in these conditions is always the dri-
ver's responsibility for the safety of
him/herself and his / her passengers.
Tight corner brake effectTight corner brake effect is a unique
characteristic of four-wheel drive
vehicles caused by the difference in
tire rotation at the four wheels and
the zero-degree alignment of the
front wheels and suspension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (IF EQUIPPED)
OXMA053039
WARNING
- Off road
driving
This vehicle is designed prima-
rily for on road use although it
can operate effectively off road.
However, it was not designed to
drive in challenging off-road
conditions. Driving in condi-
tions that exceed the vehicle's
intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.
WARNING
If the AWD system warning light
( ) illuminates, this indicates
that there is a malfunction in the
AWD system.
If this occurs, have your vehicle
checked by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION
- AWD
When turning sharply on a
paved road at low speed whilein four-wheel drive, steeringcontrol will be difficult.
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Driving your vehicle24
5
 This mode is used for climbing or descending sharp grades,
off-road driving, driving on sandy and muddy roads, etc., to
maximize traction.
 This mode automatically begins to deactivate at speeds above 30 km/h (19 mph) and is shifted to AWD AUTO mode
at speed above 40 km/h (25 mph). If the vehicle decelerates
to speeds below 30 km/h (19 mph), however, the transfer
mode is shifted into AWD LOCK mode again.
AWD AUTO
(AWD LOCK is deactivated) (Indicator light is
not illuminated)
✽ ✽ NOTICE• When driving on normal roads, deactivate the AWD LOCK mode by pushing the AWD LOCK button (the indi-
cator light goes off). Driving on normal roads with AWD LOCK mode (especially, when cornering) may cause
mechanical noise or vibration. The noise and vibration will disappear when the AWD LOCK mode is deactivat-
ed. Some parts of the power train may be damaged by prolonged driving with the noise and vibration.
• When the AWD LOCK mode is deactivated, a shock may be felt as the drive power is delivered entirely to the front wheels. This shock is not a mechanical failure.All Wheel Drive (AWD) transfer mode selectionTransfer mode Selection button Indicator light Description
 When driving in AWD AUTO mode, the vehicle operates sim-
ilar to conventional 2WD vehicles under normal operating
conditions. However, if the system determines that there is a
need for the AWD mode, the engine’s driving power is dis-
tributed to all four wheels automatically without driver inter-
vention.
 When driving on normal roads and pavement, the vehicle moves similar to conventional 2WD vehicles.
AWD LOCK (Indicator light isilluminated)
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525
Driving your vehicle
For safe All-wheel drive opera-
tion  Do not try to drive in deep standingwater or mud since such conditions
can stall your engine and clog your
exhaust pipes. Do not drive down
steep hills since it requires extreme
skill to maintain control of the vehi-
cle.  When you are driving up or down
hills drive as straight as possible.
Use extreme caution in going up or
down steep hills, since you may flip
your vehicle over depending on the
grade, terrain and water/mud con-
ditions.
WARNING
- Four-wheeldriving
The conditions of on-road or
off-road that demand four-
wheel drive mean all functions
of your vehicle are exposed to
extreme stress than under nor-
mal road conditions. Slow down
and be ready for changes in the
composition and traction of the
surface under your tires. If you
have any doubt about the safety
of the conditions you are fac-
ing, stop and consider the best
way to proceed. Do not exceed
the ability of yourself or your
vehicle to operate safely.
WARNING
- Hills
Driving across the contour of
steep hills can be extremely
dangerous. This danger can
come from slight changes in the
wheel angle which can destabi-
lize the vehicle or even if the
vehicle is maintaining stability
under power, it can lose that
stability if the vehicle stops its
forward motion. Your vehicle
may roll over without warning
and without time for you to cor-
rect a mistake that could cause
serious injury or death.
HILL1
HILL2
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527
Driving your vehicle
✽
✽NOTICE• Do not drive in water if the level is
higher than the bottom of the vehi-
cle.
• Check your brake condition once you are out of mud or water. Press
the brake pedal several times as
you move slowly until you feel nor-
mal braking forces return.
• Shorten your scheduled mainte- nance interval if you drive in off-
road conditions such as sand, mud
or water (see “Maintenance under
severe usage conditions” in chap-
ter 7). Always wash your vehicle
thoroughly after off-road use,
especially cleaning the bottom of
the vehicle.
• Since the driving torque is always applied to the 4 wheels the per-
formance of the AWD vehicle is
greatly affected by the condition of
the tires. Be sure to equip the vehi-
cle with four tires of the same size
and type.
• A full time four wheel drive vehi- cle cannot be towed by an ordi-
nary tow truck. Make sure that
the vehicle is placed on a flat bed
truck for moving.
WARNING
- Drivingthrough
water
Drive slowly. If you are driving
too fast in water, the water can
get into the engine compart-
ment and wet the ignition sys-
tem, causing your vehicle to
suddenly stop. If this happens
and your vehicle is in a tilted
position, your vehicle may roll
over.
WARNING
- AWD driving
 Avoid high cornering speed.
 Do not make quick steering
wheel movements, such as
sharp lane changes or fast,
sharp turns.
 The risk of rollover is greatly increased if you lose control
of your vehicle at high speed.
 In a collision, an unbelted per- son is significantly more like-
ly to die compared to a person
wearing a seat belt.
 Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off
the roadway and the driver
oversteers to re-enter the
roadway. In the event your
vehicle leaves the roadway, do
not steer sharply. Instead,
slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
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563
Driving your vehicle
Severe weather conditions in the
winter result in greater wear and
other problems. To minimize the
problems of winter driving, you
should follow these suggestions:
Snowy or icy conditionsTo drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tires
on your tires. If snow tires are need-
ed, it is necessary to select tires
equivalent in size and type of the
original equipment tires. Failure to do
so may adversely affect the safety
and handling of your vehicle.
Furthermore, speeding, rapid accel-
eration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially very
hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden
brake applications on snowy or icy
roads may cause skids to occur. You
need to keep sufficient distance
between the vehicle in operation in
front of your vehicle. Also, apply the
brake gently.
Snow tires If you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, make sure they are radial tires of
the same size and load range as the
original tires. Mount snow tires on all
four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
Keep in mind that the traction provid-
ed by snow tires on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.Do not install studded tires withoutfirst checking local, state and munic-ipal regulations for possible restric-tions against their use.
WINTER DRIVING
WARNING
- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.
1VQA3005
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Maintenance62
7All season tires Kia specifies all season tires on
some models to provide good per-
formance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All season tires are identified
by ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud
and Snow) on the tire sidewall. Snow
tires have better snow traction than
all season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.Summer tires Kia specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior perform-
ance on dry roads. Summer tire per-
formance is substantially reduced in
snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M+S
(Mud and Snow) on the tire side wall.
if you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions, Kia recom-
mends the use of snow tires or all
season tires on all four wheels.
Snow tiresIf you equip your vehicle with snow
tires, they should be the same size
and have the same load capacity as
the original tires. Snow tires should be
installed on all four wheels; otherwise,
poor handling may result.
Snow tires should carry 28 kPa (4 psi)
more air pressure than the pressure
recommended for the standard tires
on the tire label on the driver's side of
the center pillar, or up to the maxi-
mum pressure shown on the tire side-
wall, whichever is less. Do not drive
faster than 120 km/h (75 mph) when
your vehicle is equipped with snow
tires.Radial-ply tiresRadial-ply tires provide improved
tread life, road hazard resistance and
smoother high speed ride. The radi-
al-ply tires used on this vehicle are of
belted construction, and are selected
to complement the ride and handling
characteristics of your vehicle. Radial-ply tires have the same load
carrying capacity, as bias-ply or bias
belted tires of the same size, and use
the same recommended inflation
pressure. Mixing of radial-ply tires
with bias-ply or bias belted tires is
not recommended. Any combina-
tions of radial-ply and bias-ply or bias
belted tires when used on the same
vehicle will seriously deteriorate
vehicle handling. The best rule to fol-
low is: Identical radial-ply tires should
always be used as a set of four.
Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear. It
is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval shown in this section
to achieve the tread life potential of
these tires. Cuts and punctures in
radial-ply tires are repairable only in
the tread area, because of sidewall
flexing. Consult your tire dealer for
radial-ply tire repairs.
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